Earbud Based Auscultation System and Method Therefor

Abstract

An earbud based auscultation system and method therefor are disclosed. The system includes a signal detector and a network interface. The signal detector includes a body that accepts an earbud, and a base of the body is positioned against a body of a patient and receives biosignals from the patient. The earbud includes sensors that detect the biosignals including infrasonic and audible signals via the base and sends the biosignals to the network interface, which forwards the biosignals to a remote device such as a server. An analysis system can access the biosignals at the remote device to identify and characterize physiological processes of the patient based on the biosignals. In embodiments, a second earbud is placed in the ear canal of the patient or coupled to a second signal detector placed against the patient's body. In one example, the network interface is a wireless interface of an earbud.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An auscultation system, the system comprising:
 a first signal detector that is configured to detect biosignals including infrasonic and audible signals from a body of a patient, wherein the first signal detector includes:
 a body; and 
 a first earbud coupled to the body of the signal detector, wherein the first earbud includes an acoustic sensor that is configured to detect the biosignals from the body of the patient received, via the body of the first signal detector; and 
   a network interface configured to forward the biosignals from the first signal detector.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a remote device including an application programming interface (API) configured to receive the biosignals forwarded from the network interface; and   a data analysis system configured to access the biosignals at the API;   wherein the body of the first signal detector includes a base configured to be positioned against the body of the patient near a heart of the patient; and   wherein the data analysis system is configured to determine a heartbeat and heart sounds of the patient based upon the biosignals in conjunction with heart sound models.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a remote device including an application programming interface (API) configured to receive the biosignals forwarded from the network interface; and   a data analysis system configured to access the biosignals at the API;   wherein the body of the first signal detector includes a base that is configured to be positioned against the body of the patient near one or both lungs of the patient; and   wherein the data analysis system is configured to classify pulmonary events based upon the biosignals in conjunction with lung sound models.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second earbud that is configured to detect biosignals including infrasonic and audible signals from the body of the patient. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the second earbud is configured to be placed at an ear canal of the patient and is configured to detect the biosignals from the ear canal, and wherein the network interface is configured to forward the biosignals from the second earbud. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a remote device including an application programming interface (API) configured to receive the biosignals forwarded from the network interface; and   a data analysis system configured to access the biosignals at the API;   wherein the body of the first signal detector includes a base that is configured to be positioned against the body of the patient near an artery of the patient, and wherein the data analysis system is configured to determine a level of arterial and/or valvular stenosis of the artery based upon the biosignals.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising a second signal detector that includes a body and includes the second earbud, wherein the second earbud is coupled to the body of the second signal detector, and wherein the body of the second signal detector includes a base that is configured to be positioned against the body of the patient, and wherein the second signal detector is configured to send the biosignals to the network interface. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a remote device including an application programming interface (API) configured to receive the biosignals forwarded from the network interface; and   a data analysis system configured to access the biosignals at the API;   wherein the first and the second signal detectors are configured to be positioned in a substantially collinear fashion at a distance apart from one another and their bases are configured to be positioned against the body of the patient near a same blood vessel; and   wherein the data analysis system is configured to determine a pulse velocity of the patient based upon the biosignals.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a remote device including an application programming interface (API) configured to receive the biosignals forwarded from the network interface; and   a data analysis system configured to access the biosignals at the API;   wherein the base of the first signal detector is configured to be positioned against the body of a pregnant patient near a heart of the patient, and wherein the base of the second signal detector is configured to be positioned against the body of the patient near where a fetus of the patient resides; and   wherein the data analysis system is configured to isolate a heartbeat of the patient and a heartbeat of the fetus based upon the biosignals.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the body of the first signal detector includes a membrane that is configured to enable the coupling of the first earbud to the body, to provide an acoustic seal between the first earbud and the body, and to enable removeable attachment of the first earbud from the body. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first signal detector includes at least one ECG sensor that is configured to detect biosignals including electrical biosignals from the body of the patient, and wherein the network interface is configured to forward the electrical biosignals from the first signal detector. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first signal detector includes at least one ultrasound transducer that is configured to transmit ultrasound into and/or detect ultrasound reflected from the body of the patient, and wherein the network interface is configured to forward ultrasound biosignals detected by the first signal detector. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first earbud is a wireless earbud, and wherein the network interface is a wireless network interface of the first earbud. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first earbud includes at least one motion sensor that facilitates positioning and orientation of the first signal detector relative to the body of the patient. 
     
     
         15 . A method for acquiring biosignals, the method comprising:
 providing a first signal detector that detects biosignals including infrasonic and audible signals from a body of a patient, the first signal detector including:
 a body including a base; and 
 a first earbud coupled to the body, the first earbud including an acoustic sensor detecting the biosignals from the body of the patient via the body of the first signal detector; 
   positioning the base against the body of a patient to receive biosignals; and   forwarding the received biosignals toward a remote device across a network.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 positioning the base of the first signal detector against the body of the patient near a heart of the patient;   accessing the biosignals at an application programming interface (API) presented by the remote device; and   determining a heartbeat and heart sounds of the patient based upon the biosignals in conjunction with heart sound models.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 positioning the base of the first signal detector against the body of the patient near one or more lungs of the patient;   accessing the biosignals at an application programming interface (API) presented by the remote device; and   classifying pulmonary events based upon the biosignals in conjunction with lung sound models.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 positioning a second earbud at an ear canal of the patient that detects the biosignals including infrasonic and audible signals from the body of the patent in the ear canal; and   forwarding the detected biosignals toward the remote device across the network.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 positioning the base of the first signal detector against the body of the patient near an artery of the patient;   accessing the biosignals from the first signal detector and the second earbud at an application programming interface (API) presented by the remote device; and   determining a level of arterial and/or valvular stenosis of the artery based upon the biosignals.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 positioning a base of a body of a second signal detector against the body of the patient to receive biosignals, the second earbud being coupled to the body of the second signal detector, the second earbud detecting biosignals including infrasonic and audible signals from the body of the patient; and   forwarding the biosignals sent by the first and the second signal detectors toward the remote device across the network.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 positioning the first and the second detection detectors in a substantially collinear fashion at a distance apart from one another, with their bases disposed against the body of the patient near a same blood vessel;   accessing the biosignals from the first and second signal detectors at an application programming interface (API) presented by the remote device; and   determining a pulse velocity of the patient based upon the biosignals.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 positioning the base of the first signal detector against the body of a pregnant patient near a heart of the patient;   positioning the base of the second signal detector against the body of the patient near where a fetus of the patient resides;   accessing the biosignals from the first and second signal detectors at an application programming interface (API) presented by the remote device; and   isolating a heartbeat of the patient and a heartbeat of the fetus based upon the biosignals.